Tlayuda

The tlayuda is a large, thin corn tortilla from the Mexican state of Oaxaca, cooked on a comal until semi-toasted and usually spread with lard, quesillo and salsa. It is one of the most recognizable antojitos of Oaxacan cuisine.

History

The name comes from Nahuatl tlao-li, meaning shelled maize. It originates in Oaxaca, where the tortilla is cooked on a comal, often made of clay, and then kept in a tenate, a basket woven from palm leaves, which helps give it its characteristic texture.

The longer cooking, almost to the point of toasting, gives it a flexible yet slightly brittle consistency and helps it keep well for longer than an ordinary tortilla. Over time it has spread across central and southern Mexico, where it can be found in cities such as Mexico City, Puebla and Guadalajara, though Oaxaca remains its heartland.

Culture

In Oaxaca the tlayuda is both an everyday food and a festive one, sold by street vendors and in restaurants, especially around Oaxaca City. The classic version is spread with asiento, unrefined pork lard, topped with quesillo, lettuce, tasajo or cecina and molcajete salsa, then toasted again over an anafre until crisp. Variations are numerous: black beans, chorizo, dried beef, avocado, or salsas made with green chiles, pasilla chile or even maguey worm. In the Isthmus of Tehuantepec it is often folded into a large taco, and across much of Oaxaca it comes with grilled chile de agua, spring onions and lime, sometimes with radishes and chepiches.

Trivia